A few weeks after Apple was granted a European trademark on the key design elements of its retail stores, the company has been awarded a U.S. patent on the iconic glass cube design of its Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan. Steve Jobs is one of those credited as an inventor.

Patently Apple reports that Apple also applied for a trademark for the design back in 2010, but no decision has yet been made on that.

Apple was granted a patentfor the similarly iconic glass cylinder design for its Shanghai store back in 2012.

It’d really be great if Apple would refurbish it’s two stores here in the Raleigh Durham area. They are old, outdated and grossly overcrowded to shop in. So much so, I hate to go in even just to browse now. They are packed and the staff is overwhelmed. And ugly. Even off Holiday.